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"But you will not succeed," said Elza; "you are too weak against them. There are too many of them and too few of you; they have cannon, and you have nothing but your rifles, and there are many of you who have not even a rifle." "But we have our God and our emperor, and those two will help us.
In one of them we landed; and amid a sudden quiet and awe at the presence of Tarrano, we went ashore. Georg walking with Maida; Tarrano forcing Elza to hold his arm; and I, beside Elza until Tarrano sternly bade me walk behind. We were masked, but the revelers knew us.
Brende had mentioned to me, and a former one. It was upon this first trip Elza had met Tarrano. He was an under-officer then, in the Army of the Central State his name then was Taro. She herself no more than a slip of a girl at that time remembered him as a queerly silent young man insignificant in physique and manner.
"No one knows better than you, Tarrano, that my father's secret does not bestow immortality. To cure disease, in a measure " He checked her; his smile was ironical. "You and I know that, Lady Elza. We know that on this plane we would not want everlasting life if we could have it. But the public does not know that let us not discuss it. I was telling you confessing to you I have lost Mars.
The isolation barrage which Wolfgar had flung around us was dissolving. Someone something was in the room, breaking down the barrage, struggling to get at us. We stood huddled together; Elza clinging to me, Georg beside us, and Wolfgar, gripping the small cylinder which was glowing red in his hand from intense heat. Georg muttered something; the snapping sparks of the barrage blurred his words.
"Thank you.... My Elza, you have heard me talk of conquering the world. My dream my destiny. It will come to pass, of course. Yet " A smile pulled at his lips. "Do you know, my Elza, what you and I are doing now?" She stared, and he did not wait for her to answer. "We're making my first retreat. I wonder if you can realize how I feel, having to admit that?
I had taken Elza to the great music festivals of the city, and counted her the best dressed girl in all the vast throng. Tonight she was dressed simply. It must suffice; I can only say she was adorable. Almost in silence I ate my meal, with her beside me. Georg went into the house once, to consult the news-tape.
Through the great clouds of steam I could see the Ice Palace with its brittle outlines softening under the heat ... one of its thin spires broke off and fell.... Feverishly we added to the river source. The whole area here was grey with steam. Girls had joined us ... Elza was not among them ... Elza!
Blue tongues, licking the air, vanishing into wisps of black smoke. Tarrano snapped off his ray. But the tongues of flame stayed alive. Spreading slowly, soundlessly, their heat now melting the ground. A breath of the smoke touched Elza's face. Pungent, acrid. It stopped her breathing. She choked, coughed heavily to expel it. "Come away, Lady Elza. Let us watch from a safer distance."
A strategic retreat and in a week I will have regained more than I have lost.... Oh, Lady Elza! I who would now and always be so gentle with you why we are almost quarreling! That is not right. For the lives of a thousand of my servants, I would not have used that tone to you just now. Forgive me.... "I was saying, my Elza could not you feel more kindly to me now.
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